In 2010, the Foundation instituted Annual Awards for the top performing MPs (calculated till the end of 31st March of every year based on the data provided by Lok Sabha Secretariat and compiled by PRS India.

Mr Hansraj Gangaram Ahir (BJP MP from Chandrapur, Maharashtra) and Mr S S Ramasubbu (Cong MP from Tirunelveli) were honoured for their top performance in the 15th Lok Sabha till the end of March 2010. Mr Ramasubbu, stood first in debates, private bills and questions in Tamilnadu.

For the year 2011, a simple and impressive function was organised at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya on 7th May 2011. Mr Era Sezhian (well known veteran octogenarian Parliamentarian), Mr N Vittal (Former Central Vigilance Commissioner of India) and Mr Sthanunathan (Secretary of Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya and a Gandhian) were the chief guests.

Mr Adsul stood second in the overall tally and also first in raising questions. It may be noted, Mr Adsul stood first in raising questions even in 14th Lok Sabha and we published his exclusive interview also then.

Mr S S Ramasubbu receives the award from
Mr Sthanuthan, a well known Gandhian

Mr Ramasubbu, stood fourth in the overall tally at national level and first among Tamilnadu MPs.

A round table discussion was held on the theme "Social leadership and development politics". There was a huge particpation of youth in this programme.

At the request of K. Srinivasan, Prime Point Foundation, the award winning 3 MPs agreed to take student interns to train them in parliamentary proceedings and procedures. Department of Humanities and Social Science of IIT, Chennai has agreed to nominate students to these top performing MPs. Based on the experience, this concept will be extended to other willing MPs. This is the first of its kind in India.

We have written about the function held on 1st May 2010 to honour the top performing MPs of 15th Lok Sabha. During that occassion, Dr Abdul Kalam, Former President of India addressed the audience over telephone from Delhi. During his speech, he brought out three important aspects.

1. We should be the captain of the problem and we should not allow the problems to defeat us;

2. We should look for our role models in our home, rather than outside; and

3. Review of a book 'Tiya'

His inspiring speech in pdf format may be downloaded from the following link (50k)

We have already written in these columns that there are four categories, under which the members are rated in the Lok Sabha for their performance. They are (1) asking questions during question hours, (2) raising issues of public importance under rule 377, (3) participation in debates, legislative business and budget discussions, and (4) regular attendance.

After successful featuring of top performing MPs of 14th Lok Sabha in the Ezine, The Foundation decided to honour the top performing MPs personally at Chennai. In a simple function held on 1st May 2010, at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya/ This place was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930s and hence this place was chosen.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India addressed the audience live from Delhi over mobile and greeted the award winners. (we are publishing his speech separately).

Mr Hansraj Gangaram Ahir

Mr Hansraj Gangaram Ahri receives
the Award from Mr S S Rajasekar

Mr Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, a BJP Member of Parliament has topped in the 15th Lok Sabha for raising questions and in participation of debates, etc. (up to 31st March 2010). He has raised 255 Questions; introduced 9 private member bills; and participated 31 times in the debates. He has also made 3 special mentions.

He has been elected from Chandrapur (Maharashtra) constituency and he has served 11th and 14th Lok Sabha earlier He participated in the 14th Lok Sabha also significantly by raising 927 questions. Further he has participated 137 times in debates; made 54 special mentions and introduced 21 private bills.

Mr Somanath Chatterjee, then Speaker of 14th Lok Sabha praised him several times for his exemplary behaviour and participation in the proceedings. He has even mentioned him as his ‘favourite MP’ in the House. Earlier, he has served Maharashtra Assembly as a Member.

Mr S S Ramasubbu, Congress Member of Parliament has raised 224 Questions and participated in 20 debates in the 15 th Lok Sabha. (up to 31 st March 2010). He has been elected from Tirunelveli (Tamilnadu) Constituency.

He has served Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly two times. This is the first time, he enters Lok Sabha as member. During the first of his term in Lok Sabha itself, he has shown good performance.

He is one of the persons inspired by Dr Abdul Kalam from whom, who has set an agenda for his constituency. He is a banker turned politician. He wants to show more performance in the coming sessions and to reach No 1 position.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

We have already written in these columns that there are four categories, under which the members are rated in the Lok Sabha for their performance. They are (1) asking questions during question hours, (2) raising issues of public importance under rule 377, (3) participation in debates, legislative business and budget discussions, and (4) regular attendance. PodUniversal is now featuring the top performers of 14th Lok Sabha under these four categories. We have already published few interviews earlier.

we are now featuring Mr Shailendra Kumar, a Samajwadi Party MP from Uttar Pradesh. Mr Shailendra Kumar has been rated as No 1 for participating more number of times in debates and legislative business.

He has participated in 340 times. (The average for the Lok Sabha is 24 times per member and 57 members did not participate) He has served Uttar Pradesh Legislative assembly for two terms Lok Sabha for two terms, including the 14th Lok Sabha. He hails from a popular and well known political family of UP. I congratulated and interviewed him over mobile, while he was touring in his constituency.

Mr Anandrao Vithoba Adsul (Shiv Sena) Member of 14th Lok Sabha from Buldhana (Maharashtra ) constituency has been rated as No 1 in asking questions in the 14th Lok Sabha. He has raised 1260 questions during the entire Lok Sabha, while the average per member is only 167 questions. (78 Members never asked any question).

He was earlier the member of 11th and 13th Lok Sabha. He was elected to 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 for third term. He was also the Minister of State for Finance and Company affairs during the NDA Government, when Mr Vajpayee was the Prime Minister.

In an exclusive interview with PodUniversal, (recorded over mobile around mid-night, while he was touring in his constituency), he shares his achievements and also explains as to how the Members of Parliament can make use of the opportunity available for helping the society.

There are broadly four categories, under which the members are rated in the Lok Sabha for their performance.

They are (1) Raising questions during question hours, (2) raising issues of public importance under rule 377, (3) participation in debates, legislative business and budget discussions, and (4) regular attendance.

PodUniversal featured the top performers of 14th Lok Sabha under these four categories.

14th Lok Sabha had 14 sessions during the tenure.

Mr S K Kharventhan, Member of Parliament (Congress) from Palani (Tamilnadu) Constituency emerged as one of the top 5 performers in the 14th Lok Sabha (all 14 sessions combined) in the following areas:

1. Issues raised under Rule 377 : Members can raise important public issues under Rule 377 to draw the attention of the Government and the Public. Mr Kharventhan stood as No 1 in raising such issues. He has raised 377 issues. (Average is 6 issues per member - 176 members did not raise any issue)

2. Question hour is an important time for raising questions on public interest. The average questions raised by the members in the 14th Lok Sabha is 167 per member and 78 Members did not raise any questions. Mr Kharventhan has rasied 1200 questions and remains in the top 5 performers under this category.

3. Participation in debates: There is a general feeling that Members did not participate in the debates in connection with legislative business, bills, budgets, etc. The average for 14th Lok Sabha was 24 times per Member. 57 Members did not participate. Mr Kharventhan has participated in 187 times and remains 6th or 7th amongst the top performers.

4. Usage of library: He was using the Parliament Library extensively to prepare his notes on various debates.

5. MP funds: He has utilised 100% of the MP funds for welfare projects in his constituency and 99% of the projects have already been implemented.

On behalf of PodUniversal, we recorded his interview over phone on his success story. Please listen to his interview.

During March 2009, India was preparing for the General Elections to elect the 15th Lok Sabha. During that time, Prime Point Foundation started analysing the performance of the Members of 14th Lok Sabha. The data relating to raising questions, raising issues under 377, participation in debates, introduction of private bills and the attendance of the members were analysed. These data were made available by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. PRS India also compiled the data and released to the pulic.

During March 2009, the Foundation published the Ezine issue titled 'Celebrate Democracy - Vote India'. Former Indian President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India Mr T S Krishnamurthy shared their views exclusively with the ezine.

The Foundation also featured and published interviews of Mr S K Kharventhan (Congress), Mr Anandrao Vithoba Adsul (Shiv Sena), Mr Shailendra Kumar (Samajvadi Party), the top performing Members of Lok Sabha exclusively.

Interviews with Dr Abdul Kalam, Mr Kharventhan and Mr Anandrao Vithoba Adsul are separately published in this site.

The ezine may be downloaded from the following link (530 k in pdf format)

Parliament is the supreme legislative body of a country. Indian Parliament comprises of the President and the two Houses-Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States).

The President has the power to summon and prorogue either House of Parliament or to dissolve Lok Sabha.

The Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950. The first general elections under the new Constitution were held during the year 1951-52 and the first elected Parliament came into being in April, 1952.

The Second Lok Sabha was constituted in April, 1957, the Third Lok Sabha in April, 1962, the Fourth Lok Sabha in March, 1967, the Fifth Lok Sabha in March, 1971, the Sixth Lok Sabha in March, 1977, the Seventh Lok Sabha in January, 1980, the Eighth Lok Sabha in December, 1984, the Ninth Lok Sabha in December, 1989, the Tenth Lok Sabha in June, 1991, the Eleventh Lok Sabha in May, 1996, the Twelfth Lok Sabha in March, 1998 Thirteenth Lok Sabha in October, 1999, the Fourteenth Lok Sabha in 2004.

The 15th Lok Sabha came into being in 2009. Presently, India has 543 constituencies to represent in the Lok Sabha.

Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can raise questions, raise important issues under Rule 377, participate in debates, introduce private member bills. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat releases the information relating to their participation in the House, incluing their attendance.

Council of Ministers may not be able to raise questions, participate in debates, introduce private bills. Council of Ministers and the Leader of the Opposition are exempt from signing attendance.

PRS India, a non profit research organisation, based at Delhi compiles all the information received from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat and publishes the analysed data in their site.

Prime Point Foundation, a non profit organisation at Chennai honours the top performing Parliamentarians, based on the data released by PRS India and Lok Sabha Secretariat.

About this Award

Prime Point Foundation has been honouring the top performing Members of Parliament based on their performance in the House. (Questions raised, debates participated, issues raised, private bills introduced and attendance),

From 2012, the Foundation has named this award as 'Sansad Ratna Award'.